Our Kitchener bungalow had a central hallway with no natural light. You walked from the bright kitchen into a dim tunnel to get to the bedrooms. One Velux fixed skylight solved it completely.
The problem:
Central hallway, 4 ft wide, 18 ft long, no windows possible (flanked by bedrooms on both sides). The only solution was either a light tube (tubular skylight) or a full skylight with a shaft.
What we considered:
Option A: Tubular skylight (10-inch Velux Sun Tunnel)
- Pros: minimal framing, low cost
- Cons: light quality is diffused and not as natural; 10-inch tube in an 18-ft hallway would be underwhelming
Option B: Fixed skylight (Velux FS C04, 21x46 inches) with splayed drywall shaft
- Pros: dramatic natural light, excellent light quality
- Cons: requires framing the shaft, more drywall, higher cost
We chose Option B.
Installation:
- Skylight opening cut in roof (between existing rafters — no rafter modification needed for this size)
- Ice and water shield around entire perimeter
- Velux aluminum flashing kit installed
- Splayed drywall shaft framed (wider at ceiling than at skylight — maximizes light spread)
- Painted the shaft white for maximum reflection
Cost:
- Skylight (Velux FS C04): $820 supply
- Roofing contractor (cutting, flashing, shingles): $1,400
- Framing and drywall shaft (carpenter + drywaller): $1,600
- Paint and trim: $220
- Total: $4,040
The hallway now: Looks like a completely different space. The splayed white shaft acts as a light amplifier — even on overcast days, the hallway is well-lit. Zero leaks through our first full year including a severe ice dam event.